Everything about Massara is amazing! My friend and I ordered the paccheri pomodoro, the mezzaluna, and the cavatelli verde. All three pastas were so delicious. Our favorite of the three was the mezzaluna, definitely a must try in the city. The pomodoro tasted so fresh, you could tell the high quality of the tomatoes. The cavatelli also had a great flavor and overall there wasn't one bite that we didn't enjoy. We also ordered the millefoglie for dessert. The basil and strawberries tasted so fresh as well and the flavor combo was so good! And then they brought out little olive oil cakes to which were so delicious and the perfect ending to our dinner. The service was also so perfect! Our server Logan went above and beyond the whole time, I got some sauce on my shirt and he brought out club soda and a napkin so I could clean the stain. Also they brought out two of the pomodoro on accident and we got to keep the extra and to our surprise they also comped on of our other pastas! I have literally never had better service. I would 1000% recommend Massara! Thank you Logan and Massara making our night so special! read more

Pizza dough was great! Caesar Salad was very wet. It's unfortunate they really dont grill the meat correctly. The fat on the lamb was not rendered, so it arrived at table raw. Cooked perfectly MR but the fat was not charred. No idea why they have a wood burning grill if they dont charred the meat??? Also grill cook kept placing the meat thermometer in his mouth after temping the meat, not good. Server was very good. read more

The pasta was excellent but the desserts were underwhelming. There are good vegetarian options and the service is great but it is very pricey compared to many Italian restaurants. Overall, I think it's a great Italian option for excellent pastas. read more

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Came to Massara for company dinner and had a private section. They offer a coat and bag service at the host stand, which was very helpful since we were coming from the office. Massara coursed out the meal and kept the wine flowing. Service felt like a movie - everyone got their food and drinks at the same time (which was pretty neat). My favorite dish of the evening was the lobster ravioli - albeit, I wish there were more in the portion. Overall we had a great evening at Massara! read more

Definitely a good Italian restaurant in NYC! Portions are small- like Rezdora, they recommend ~3 dishes/person. My friend and I came on a Sunday (with a reservation), and they were very accommodating when we asked to push it back an hour. Also like Rezdora, they started us with a complimentary snack (some sort of cracker with a citrusy spinach topping). Our meal began with the Montanara Pizzette which was my favorite dish we ordered. The pizza dough is lightly fried instead of being cooked with a traditional pizza oven. It gives it a wonderful flaky texture without being too heavy as the acidity from the anchovy and capers cuts through any residual grease. I would definitely order this again. For pastas, we tried the Candele, "Cheesemakers Raviolini," and the "If Pasta Fredda Was Eaten in Amalfi." I love the fun names! My favorite pasta was the Candele- the ragu is very rich and melds beautifully with the parmesan. The most unique pasta was the "If Pasta Fredda Was Eaten in Amalfi." This dish is served cold with uni and shrimp. I enjoyed the "Cheesemakers Raviolini," but was severely underwhelmed. It was good, but nothing special. For desserts, we ordered the Baba Rum and the Profiteroles. The Profiteroles were delicious! I love the addition of flaky sea salt- the mouse and gelato pair so well with the generously filled pastries. As for the Baba Rum... if you enjoy rum A LOT, go for it. However, if I wanted a drink, I would have just ordered one. The heavy handed rum pour in the syrup topping ruined this dessert. This is already a rather large serving of dessert and given the overwhelming amount of rum, we only finished ~half. Overall, I would still return, but I would rather go to Rezdora. Service is great at both restaurants, but I enjoyed the food more at Rezdora. read more

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Great wine selection, great pasta, and the best service in NYC. Ambiance was a bit dark in the stairways and hallways, but overall very sophisticated. Words can't explain the deliciousness of the food, so I'll leave everyone with some lovely photos instead read more

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Definitely misses the mark, particularly for the price. This place joins the endless stream of overpriced Italian restaurants in New York. The server recommended a pizza and two pastas, but I decided to go with just a pizza and one pasta. The initial bite of a savory leek tart was nice. The stagione pizza was a bit underwhelming - the fava puree tasted a bit starchy and really needed some salt. The crust had a nice texture to begin with, but it softened very quickly, leading to the toppings completely sliding off each slice. The ravioli was interesting - seems likely it comes from frozen, as I found parts of each one to still be a little cold. The sauce was pretty liquid and really didn't cling to the pasta at all. And the filling was a bit flat in terms of flavor. To finish, there was a nice chocolate candy with caramel. Not too sweet. The whole meal ran to about $60 with tax and tip. I'm not sure why this restaurant got all the buzz it did when it first opened. read more

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Pretty good service, good food but too small plates, and romantic ambiance. We started with the crude pizzette and that was really delicious. Out of the pastas, raviolini came kind of cold but candele was very good. The rum cake had too much rum in it and we would have been fine without the gelatos. Overall good restaurant but I think prices and plate sizes don't really match up read more

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Came for brunch - was seated right away (with a reservation but don't think that was imperative, at least for brunch). Bar and seats downstairs, as well as a bar and seating upstairs. Cute! Staff was very friendly and helpful, but not overbearing. Drinks were good. Food was good too! A few dishes impressed, but overall a really solid meal. Fusilli with prosciutto ragú was delicious and so was the ciabatta bread. Dessert!!! Was so good, airy donuts with chocolate and caramel dipping sauces. Could've eaten like 100 of them. No complaints, everything was yummy! Would like to try for dinner too. read more

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Very expensive for small portions of above average food. Good for a corporate meal or event but I'd personally skip this. Space is beautiful and huge inside, dark and moody. Kitchen is fairly open and adds to the atmosphere. read more

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Surprised to see that reviews of Massara have been on the lower end but I found my experience here to be an incredible and delicious tour of all the best foods of Italy. My only gripe was that it took some time (~10 minutes) between arriving (we came at promptly our 5PM reservation) and getting seated but other than that everything was fantastic. For those comparing directly between here and Rezdora the portion sizes are bigger here and the variety (e.g. pizzas) are better in my opinion. Plus, the restaurant is less cramped vs the seating at Rezdora although service remains high across both. The pizza was some of the best I've ever had and very authentic as you'd expect from a proper Italian restaurant. I highly recommend the Crudo and our favorite pasta was the candele ragu. read more

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The architecture of this space is interesting because there are so many angles at which you can see cooking / pizza making in progress. We got 2 pizzas and 2 pastas. Both pizzas were absolutely delicious; the bread is extremely chewy, and I'm not that much of a bread girlie but found myself wanting more I loved the broccoli pasta but thought the lobster mafaldine pasta was not good. It was too nutty and grainy. read more

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I went to Italian restaurant "Massara", at 913 Broadway at East 20th Street. Massara menu is food from Southern Italy, specifically, Campania, which includes Naples, Sorrento, the Amalfi Coast, and Capri: a region that's known for burrata, spaghetti with clam sauce, and pizza. This place was amazing. Two floors for Italian dining. I ordered Cheesemakers raviolini, with six ravioli filled with burrata imported from Campania. This dish was incredible. The second dish was pasta "candles" in this dish are layered with a concentrated onion-and-beef ragu fortified with herbs known as "alla Genovese," though it is associated with Naples. It is hard to imagine a richer pasta. The last dish was Crudo Pizza. Which is truffles, stracciatella, arugula & prosciutto. This is cooked in Italian oven. It was out of this world. The staff members were warm, knowledgeable, and very professional. Also the aesthetic/ambiance in this restaurant was on point. Would absolutely go back!!!! read more

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Have you ever had food so good you reviewed it at the restaurant? That was Massara. EVERY single dish was incredible. The cocktails and wine were impeccable. The service was amazing! Karen and Becca made thoughtful recommendations and ensured we got everything we ordered promptly. I cannot wait to go back! They have a "pasta tasting menu" which is right up my alley! read more

Massara - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

I'm surprised that the reviews here are so mixed because we had a great time! The food was fantastic. The candele were heavenly and very umami, the cheese makers ravioli were perfectly tender. The pizza dough was very good and we loved the gem salad. Very solid Negroni. Service was generally friendly and pretty fast. The ambiance in the part of the restaurant that we sat in was nice, we could see them making the pizzas in the oven. I could see how some think the portions are small, but it's great for sharing and the foods are all on the richer side anyways so I didn't feel bad about it. definitely recommend read more

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Incredible dining experience! I very much enjoy enjoyed each of the three pastas and two pizzas I ordered. My personal favorites were the candele (ragu). This may be my favorite ever ragu pasta. Incredibly flavorful. Other one was the stagione (pizza). WOW! It was so tasty. The sweeter tomato contrasted so well with the pizza. As for dining experience, I sat next to where the chefs cooked which I thought was neat. The service was impeccable as well and the waiters were willing and happy to provide recommendations. One of my favorite dining experiences this year. read more

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I went in with very minimal knowledge of this spot other than knowing they have a sister restaurant that is Michelin-starred and it's very telling that the first question we were asked upon meeting our waiter was whether we had been to said Michelin-starred restaurant, so knew we were in for a debatable night. The menu to start is very overwhelming in a way that I feel like is purposeful for the sake of making it seem elevated regardless of your level of culinary knowledge. There are so many ingredients I am not familiar with (cheeses, types of pasta, spices, etc.) that I actually feel like it detracted from my ability to make an educated choice on what to order. Polpo: This was actually a bit of a miss for me. I have almost never said that about an octopus app, but the texture at first was too charred and then as I went along the tentacle became too soft. And the sauce was too gritty for my taste. Baby gem salad: A big hit. The lettuce was fresh, as were the rest of the ingredients. I'm not even sure what said ingredients were but this was a great combo of textures that hit the mark. Stagione pizzette: Looking around, everyone gets pizzettes. But I am not entirely sure why. Aesthetically beautiful. But mostly crust and what wasn't crust was not super inspiring. The cheese was nice but wouldn't order this again. Candele: This was the biggest flop of the night for me. Plating itself was very underwhelming. The pasta just didn't really look good? And the meat was hard to pull apart to put with the pasta. We had read reviews that the pasta dishes were small and this is definitely true but really I wasn't even that interested in more of this. Quadratti: This was my favorite of the night. The lobster meat was plentiful and the pasta here such a nice addition for it. If anything wish I had gotten a bigger portion of this. Pancia di Maiale: We had trouble choosing a final meat dish and honestly went with this because some of the other options were outrageously priced. The sauce was great but the meat was less so-rather meh. The "cracker" skin on top I found very difficult to eat/bite into pieces. Broccoli rabe: Really did not need this side-dish, which is our fault. Rather bitter and oily. Ciabatta: This was surprisingly well-oiled. Our waiter recommended having this come out with the pastas, which was clutch. Perfectly soaked up the pasta sauces and much better than having it come out as an app. Truly, the food itself I would not go back for. However, the service was impeccable and the most reminiscent of Michelin-rated places. They had a ton of people attending to each aspect of the meal and everyone was super pleasant. Each course got its own dishware and a table wipe-down between. Water was never empty. People checking in frequently. That was really the best part of the meal. read more

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My favorites were the pizza, petit, thin, crust fluff dough. - Stagione (sungolds, pancetta & scarmorza) very juicy and rich. - Crudo (stracciatella, arugula & prosciutto) I usually don't like prosciutto pizza but it was very good, silky quality prosciutto. Pastas all felt just okay nothing to wowed: - Candele: thought it was weird, like thick ragu with shredded meat. - Cavatelli: came with 4 tiny clams, thought the pasta has a hint of matcha flavor. I'm sure it's not match but something else, the bitterness was very interested and this may be my favorite paste. - Quadratti: lobster pasta, it was okay, smelled a bit fishy. Zucchini Flower was mostly just cheese inside. Couldn't really taste if there's other stuff. Quail was weird it was made into a stuffed sausage form? May come back for the pizza but that's it. read more

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I went to Massara for a group dinner. First, I had high expectations for this restaurant, given that I loved rezdora and this is a sister restaurant, sadly there were several hiccups. Our group arrived right at 5pm for our reservation and got a nice table in the center and in front of the open kitchen. Note the main floor is very small, with a handful of small tables. Because we were a large group, we were able to try a lot of the dishes on the menu and really get to taste the depth of the flavors. A snafu was really our waiter, he was dismissive and actually seemed rather annoyed with our group. In the beginning as we were deciding on what to order, we needed help to understand portion size and how much (quantity of dishes wise) we need for our 9 persons group. His overall demeanor with us was not welcoming and standoff ish, as if we should've already known how many dishes we needed. The food, on the other hand was good. I would not say it was out of this world. Perhaps it was because we were able to basically get all of the pasta and pizza dishes on the menu. I did appreciate that I was able to try dishes that I would've normally not ordered and ended up really loving it! Some of my favorite dishes were the anchovies pizza, I have to give it to Massara, they do pizza the right way!!! The crust was so crispy! And my favorite pasta is: Corteccia (with ragu and broccoli rabe sauce), quadratti (lobster ravioli), and the candele. Note our group also for their "insta famous" "if pasta Fredda was eaten in amalfi" - with the raw gamberi and uni - note this is a Cold pasta ! We were all taken back and did not know it was cold!! Additionally we got the wagyu steak and branzino, which was so salty! Wagyu was very tender. Overall not all of dishes were a hit, pizzas were a hit, and service was definitely a miss. read more

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Ah it does pain me to write this review because my experience was not very good and unfortunately I would not come back. Aside from having the cache of the Rezdora name behind it, I wouldn't necessarily recommend to friends & family. However, I will caveat that perhaps my experience was an outlier and due to being a newer restaurant. Reasons for my less than stellar experience: -The main reason is the food. All dishes came out lukewarm, if not cold which was very off putting. -Meal pacing was off. We waited over 20 minutes in between our pasta courses. -Pasta was al dente, however, everything was fairly underwhelming and lacking in flavor. Many dishes looked pretty, but were a bit dry. -This is minor, but they don't have tea pots. So I paid $8 for tea in the tiniest cup that was about 5 sip worths. -And again, fairly minor, but we went to celebrate our anniversary which the restaurant knew and they didn't do anything. I'm not looking for freebies, but typically a restaurant of this caliber and price point would typically do something, even if it's just writing "happy anniversary" on a dessert we already ordered. Overall, for the price point (the portions are TINY), the food and experience do not align. Additional Notes: ambiance is nice. Casual, yet you could easily dress up. Restaurant is fairly large so this could be good for groups. This would be good for a date night, celebrations, or just a normal dinner. Food-wise, it's focused on Southern Italian cuisine. It's family style with the menu broken up into different sections. They recommend each person order one dish PER section. Portions are quite small (pasta comes with maybe 5-6 small pieces of ravioli). I ordered 2 apps, 4 pastas, 1 side, and 2 desserts between 2 people. -Baby Gem: comes covered in cheese which I appreciated, but dressing was underwhelming and salad didn't have much flavor. -Crudo: best thing we got. Good to share. Comes with 4 small pieces. Dough is super fluffy. -Candele: best pasta we got. Sauce was flavorful and well seasoned. -Cheesemakers Raviolini: beautiful dish. But it was a bit underwhelming flavor wise for me and felt like it needed more sauce. Came out lukewarm. -Pomodoro: this was good too, sauce was fresh and zesty. However this dish came out lukewarm, borderline cold. -Some lackluster ravioli dish that I'm not sure is on the menu anymore. Needed more sauce and came out lukewarm. -Moda Parmigiano: almost their take on an eggplant parm. It has a smoky flavor which I wasn't expecting and due to personal preference not sure I enjoyed. Also came out lukewarm. I wouldn't order again. -Sfogliatella: pistachio flavored. I would order this again. It's quite small, almost just for one person and takes about 15-20 minutes to make. Tastes like a very mini crispy pistachio filled croissant. read more

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I have to say I'm surprised by how poorly reviewed Massara is. As the sister restaurant to Rezdora, I actually liked Massara a lot more than Rezdora. First off, the space is a lot bigger (two floors), so I was not on the cusp of elbowing my neighbour the way I was at Rezdora. Secondly, their portions were also bigger than Rezdora's. We started with the baby gem salad, which was spectacular. It was smoky, savoury, and slightly acidic - truly one of the best baby gem salads I've ever had. Then we had the Crudo pizza, which was soft like a pillow, with the perfect amount of chewiness on the inside, and crispiness on the outside. For pastas, we tried the candele, corteccia and cheesemakers raviolini. I was absolutely blown away by the candele - we were told the ragu has been slow-cooked for 36 hours, which explained why there was so much depth in flavour. All the pastas were cooked perfectly. We tried the funghi reale as recommended by our waitress and it was filled with umami - a delight to eat. Overall, we loved our meal at Massara and will definitely come back in the future read more

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I went to this rather difficult restaurant to get into with a group of 5 others on July 4th. The space is sparse but nice with high ceilings and only a couple tables (including one large table we all set at which can comfortably sit 8 though we were 6) along with a bar in front though I'm not sure if the bar serves food as well. The server was friendly though he did say that we probably did not order enough food and that we probably would need at least one more pizza or pasta (he was right at the end.) There's no cocktail menu online but they range from $17 for a spritz (which is notably served in a much larger glass and doesn't taste that alcoholic) to $24 with most of them being in the $18 to $20 range which is pretty expected now. I had their Negroni which was bitter and fine with a nice ice cube. Was it worth the $20? Likely. They gave us the menu in courses which was appreciated with the pastas 2nd. The only large plate we got early was the Capesante for $29 with scallops (said capesante,) fava, and salsa aglio (i.e. garlic and olive oil.) This is apparently a very popular dish here and there was only one order left and we could see why. The scallops were perfectly cooked with the fava and the rest adding a slight herbal and earthy flavor. This was excellent and honestly worth it even with only 3 scallops. Also part of the first course were two of the pizette with us getting the margherita and the crudo. The Margherita is $15 is listed simply as "classica" and is the size of a pan pizza which is expected. It was a medium-thick crust with a bit of a chew reminding me to an extent of Neapolitan style. The tomato and cheese quality were both excellent and I would recommend it. Even better was the Crudo with bufala D.O.P., arugula, and prosciutto for just $2 more at $17. The tiny bit of prosciutto on there added some saltiness with my favorite part being the the additional cheese. This was excellent and if I could get into this place again or just go to the bar, I presumably would order a cocktail and this and maybe a side and I would be happy or try one of the other pizette. Last of the early dishes was the Frittura Della Zona with zucchini flowers, bufala D.O.P, and anchovy for $12 which is one of the contorni/side dishes. This consists of two pieces per order and the fry was light with the filling being quite salty and cheesy. It was a bit too salty and while I couldn't taste the anchovy, I presume those added to said saltiness. I also got the Broccoli Rabe from said menu listed as stracotta, garlic, and "peperoncino" for $9. Stracotta apparently means overcooked and they were roasted with a bit too much bitterness. I think it needed more garlic to balance said bitterness. I wouldn't recommend it much. We finally shared the various pasta. The portion sizes in general are tiny and I would say a couple of them were worth it and some of them definitely were not. Best of the bunch was the Corteccia with sausage ragu in bianca, broccoli rabe for $22. Corteccia is essentially cavatelli and this had a richness from the ragu and a slight bitterness with some crunch. This is one of the more reasonably priced ones and it was excellent. My second favorite of the more unique pastas was the Mezzelune with doppio, soppressata from campania, and peas for $24. There was a nice little smokiness and spice from the sausage combined with the earthiness of the peas. Also very tasty. This came with 6 pretty large pieces. The Candele with ragu genovese, and parmigiano for $24 was also tasty. This tasted of a similar quality to many other ragu dishes with a more unique pasta variety and was probably a bit richer by comparison. If I was to recommend one to get full, I would probably recommend this one even if it's a bit less unique. Largest and alright was the Cheesemakers Raviolini with bufala D.O.P. datterini tomato, and basil for $24. The pasta filling had a pretty tasty cheese blend with some good richness and the tomato sauce while sparse added light acid and sweetness. It was fine but more standard and as noted, I wish there was more tomato sauce to balance it out better. The most expensive and tiniest was the If Pasta Fredda Was Eaten In Amalfi with almond and gambero rosso for $28. This was their interesting take on cold pasta salad. The flavors were very nice with the broth having a good fish base but the portion size was miniscule. I understand not having many of the fancy shrimp but there was probably less than one whole forkful of pasta. The dish was a fun spin but I can't recommend it. The portion sizes leave a bit much to be desired (especially for most of the pasta) but the food here is solid. Probably a low four for the pizette and a low 3 for the rest so mid 3 rounded down for the rather egregious prices. read more

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People that know me know that I love pizza. I will travel for pizza. I took my family on a pizza crawl through Brooklyn (Lucali, Di Fara, Spumoni, etc), New Haven (Sally's, Frank Pepe, Modern, etc.). But none of them have the kind of pizza that they have here! It is completely different. Like biting into a delicious cloud with cheese and sauce. I thought good pizza needed a crisp crust but Massara proved me wrong! We got multiple servings of the Margherita! They are small, like personal size, so get AT LEAST one for each pizza lover in your party or you will be fighting over them. But don't just come for the pizza. They had the best scallops dish and best branzino dish I can recall. Both were prepared perfectly and had amazing flavors! And the Corteccia pasta was the best pasta dish I have had in a long time. That is saying something because I am a big fan of red sauce so when my wife asked to order this dish, I was not looking forward to it. But easily the best pasta of the night! Those are the highlights but that does not mean the other dishes were bad by any means but the ones above should not be missed on any visit. Their other pasta dishes were very good but just a warning about the Pasta Fredda in Amalfi, it is a cold pasta dish. I was not prepared so when I took my first bite, it was a bit of a shock. After initial shock, it was quite refreshing and different. Also, the bruschette here does not have any tomatoes or onions. Service was amazing and the interior is very cozy on the ground floor tables (they also have tables upstairs), and we had a great view of the pizza oven and the kitchen. Cannot wait to come back!! read more

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Stopped by here looking for a after dinner drink and dessert. Super high end Italian restaurant with a really nice bar separate from dining area. The staff honestly initially when we came in acted like we weren't even there and took them forever to seat us at the bar, which wasn't busy at all. If they didn't come when they did we were about to leave. The bartender made it up by being very nice and attentive. Really nice space inside, dining spaces upstairs and downstairs. At the bar we decided to get a gin and tonic with Portofino gin that I'd heard about. Super smooth and made perfectly with lime and in a big goblet. I have to find this gin! My friend had a nice Rosé. We also tried the Affogato which was made amazingly with the espresso poured hot with a mokina espresso pot. Insanely good, with as good gelato with chocolate chips in it. Loved this! What was cool is that the gelato didn't melt quickly . They also had one of favorite Italian desserts, Sfogliatella. We tried the citrus one , loved the crispy layers of pastry with the ricotta that was citrus infused. Nice and warm and a great dessert. These desserts were super high quality, so glad we tried them. Was the perfect after dinner drink and sweet treats. I just suggest friendlier hosts ! read more

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I managed to get a reservation in Rezdora's sister restaurant. Inside is definitely bigger than Rezdora. The back of the restaurant is an open-air kitchen with a wood burning oven cooking all the pizzettes. I started off the Stagione Pizzette because of the shaved black truffle. This pizzette is the ultimate individual pizza pie for one. If you are not a thin crust person, this is not the pie for you. I loved this mixture of asparagus, mozzerella, and black truffle in this thin, crusted pizza. I actually devoured this whole with a glass of red wine. This is worth ordering. Corteccia was overall a good dish. I enjoyed the texture of the pasta, which was cooked just al dente. The dish was on the salty side, but the fatness of the sausage, along with washing my palette with the red wine, balanced the consumption experience. I also ordered the frittura Della Zona, which I heard was popular, but this side was very salty. I consumed this straight up, which now I'm not sure if it was the right thing to do. The silver lining is that it helped mask the tannins of the red wine. Finally, for dessert, I ordered the sflogiatella, which for $14 was disappointing in both portion and quality. The cocktails were cheaper than the wines by glass. It's better to go with an additional person or even a group so you can taste everything. I'd definitely return to try the other bottles of wine, pizzettes, and pastas, and that's if I can get a reservation. read more

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Tonight was the second time we were able to enjoy this restaurant and it was just as wonderful as the first! We have been to Rezdora multiple times so had high expectations for the sibling restaurant. Massara did not disappoint. Just like Rezdora, do not come here expecting the typical American Italian dishes. My favorite pasta dish was the Corteccia, sausage ragu and broccoli rabe, with al dente pasta. The Capesante scallops are beautifully browned and perfectly cooked. The Branzino is the best I have ever had, not greasy or dried out, the outside is crispy and the inside is moist. The star, the pizzettes. The fluffiest pizza! It is like biting onto a cloud. We sat on the first level both times, the first time we sat tucked into a little cozy corner, tonight we sat at the table right in front of the station where the pizzettes are prepared. The first level has high ceilings and the view to the pizza oven. Experiencing the bustle of the food being prepared added to the dining experience. Although the restaurant was busy, we didn't feel hurried or cramped. The servers were attentive but not intrusive. It is already difficult to get reservations here so I didn't really want to give 5 stars but if I could, I would have given it 100 stars. read more

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Was finally able to snag a reservation to this spot and it is not overhyped at all... in fact, it might be one of my new favorite Italian spots in the city for food and drinks. leagues better than its sister restaurant, Rezdora. The ambiance of this restaurant is also very chic and all the dishes were served extremely fast and came out fresh and warm... we were in and out in under 1.5 hours. For a party of 4, we ordered 2 cocktails, 2 apps, 1 pizzette, 6 pastas, and 1 desert, and we left feeling pretty full and satiated. Here's a rundown of what we got: Cocktails: -Sardo Sour (5/5): this cocktail was so good! On the lighter side in terms of ABV, with a fruity taste accompanied by slight creaminess of the egg white. This cocktail went down so easy -Strega Nona Needs a Spritz (3/5): I'm not a spritz person, but friends loved it. Very light and refreshing, great if you like Aperol Spritzes Apps: -Baby gem salad (4.5/5): Our favorites of the two salad. The salad had such a refreshing dressing that coated each baby gem evenly, with thinly shaved parmesan that had an almost fluffy texture. Only thing that could have added something was maybe a more crunch texture -Classic Caprese (3/5): honestly, can skip this. The tomatoes were OK, mozzarella was OK.. no huge wow factor and at a steep price point Pizza: -Crudo (5/5): We only got one pizzette but I would be excited to try more. IT was incredible! The flavors of the stracciatella with the tomato base was so tasty, and the dough was amazing... so light and fluffy and chewy, and perfectly toasted on the outside. Very small, more of an app Pastas (all were served warm/hot, which I loved): -Pasta mista (5/5): This was an unexpected favorite for me. The flavors of the pomodoro + cheese + potato created such a unique taste, and I loved the mix and match of all the pasta shapes. Perfectly al dente -Paccheri Pomodoro (5/5): A close second... despite looking similar in taste as the pasta mista, the flavor was actually quite different. More rich tomato shape, and the pasta was also cooked very well! -Candele (5/5): wow, another really good one I did not expect to love this much. The ragu was so tender without being overly salty, and the pasta sauce was rich from the meatiness of it without being overpowering. -Corteccia (4/5): This pasta was good with the standout being the breadcrumbs for the added texture and the abundance of broccoli rabe. A bit on the saltier side but not overly so -Cheesemakers raviolini (4/5): the infamous pasta... it was really good! But nothing special I would say. Had a nice al dente texture and was just filled with standard cheese. The sauces on the top were nice though -Quadratti (4/5): I actually quite liked this one, I just wish there was more lobster filling inside. There were also pieces of lobster on the top, which were very delicious Sides -Grilled Zucchini (3.5/5): I love zucchinis, but I wouldn't get this again. This is a cold dish and nothing special at all, and it was extremely small. Each person only got one bite. Overall, as someone who does not love Italian food, I was really impressed by the pastas and the speed of service. Would highly recommend! read more

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Food: 4 stars - everything was delicious especially the pizzette but the pastas were almost room temp when they arrived. Service: 5 stars - our waiter was very welcoming and friendly, did a great job of explaining the menu, making suggestions, and answering our questions. Ambiance: 3 stars. We were seated next to a bar area in a walkway on the 2nd floor despite having dining room reservations. So this was a bit of a bummer. I'm not sure if it was the constant flow of people rushing by us or the actual speed of the food arriving, but our meal felt rushed. The space itself is beautiful and huge. Very lively, and they were playing top 40 music - we felt like we were in a scene from a movie depicting 'buzzy Manhattan restaurant'. This would be a fun place to come with friends! read more

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Massara is one of those restaurants that everyone is talking about right now, and for good reason. As someone who has been to Rezdora and Massara now I think they're both fantastic, for different reasons. Massara offers a lot more space which is great for getting a table, and I'm in love with their pizzettes! I did a walk in with two friends at 5pm and had no problem getting a spot at the bar. Between the three of us, we ordered four pastas, three pizzettes, and a gelato each. It was the perfect amount of food to leave us full and not stuffed. All of the pastas were incredible, but I could have skipped the raviolini. Our favorites were the candele and the pomodoro for pastas. All three pizzas were so good, I would order them all again. For dessert I got the pistachio chocolate chip gelato and almond cherry gelato - I almost ordered a second order of the pistachio! My friends got the salted caramel but both said it was a bit too salty for their liking. Since we sat at the bar, one of the bartenders took our order. I didn't get his name, but he had only been working there for three days and was doing such a great job - we loved him! Also random but such a cute touch, when you use the bathroom, they play a track to teach Italian words/phrases. Will definitely be coming back - I hope they consider doing a pasta tasting option like Rezdora! read more

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Wow! What a wonderful experience from start to finish. The clear winner was the "Candele" in the ragu sauce--unbelievably rich, yet the pasta remained light and airy. The mezzaluna was a unique delight, blending two great things into one exquisite dish. The Polpo, or octopus, was perfectly prepared, melting in your mouth. I would highly recommend it! The only dish that fell a bit short was the raviolini, but I think that's because the other dishes were just that much more spectacular. We ended the meal with gelato, which was perfectly creamy and not too sweet. I can't wait to come back and try more. Highly recommended! read more

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Well how do I start?! ...a bit bougie which is fine, but I don't recall ever feeling like I wasn't worth dining at an establishment. At this place unfortunately I felt that way. Our server was a bit snobbish and suggested to order at least 5-7 plates as its small portions. I was well aware of the place as I do my homework before dining anywhere. We ordered three dishes and dessert, remind you, I don't stuff my face and like to keep it light. Some of us are on diets, hence liking smaller portions. Maybe he was disappointed that my bill wouldn't rack up $250 Ordered a couple of cocktails which were pretty good. But when asking for a soda, waiter said he isn't sure they have that. Interesting.. so you don't serve regular beverages or your place is not kid/teen friendly??? The food itself tasted delicious, I definitely loved the Ragu that they seemed to be known for. But overall just didn't feel welcomed at all. Towards the end of our visit the attitude had improved a bit. Ps. Being attentive is one thing... but hovering over your guests every minute is a bit much. Doubt I will return. But hats off to the chef, definitely tasty. read more

Massara - Pizzette - Italian Near Me - New York, New York

Ever since this place opened, I've been meaning to try it, so I'm glad I finally got to go. The sister restaurant of Rezdora, one of my favourite Italian restaurants in the city? Got my attention and expectations piqued. The vibes and decor of the place were impeccable. So cosy and warm but still elegant. I loved it. We started with the ciabatta and margherita pizzette -- both phenomenal. The ciabatta was so well seasoned, and I was worried it was going to be bland bc it didn't come with olive oil and balsamic, but it didn't need it at all. Then to the main event -- the pastas. Two girls and we ordered 3 dishes and it was plenty. We had the raviolini, cavatelli and the paccheri pomodoro. You must get the cavatelli. It was so delicious. Such a stand out dish. The rest of the pastas were good, but didn't blow my mind. Ended the meal with a pistachio cake -- also delicious. Just what I needed. Overall, good service and food and would come again as the casual alternative to Rezdora. read more

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From start to finish, one word: stunning. The food made me feel like I was back in the south of Italy. There wasn't a single item to fault. All the dishes were so light, portioned intelligently, and FULL of flavour. The pulpo was very fresh. The pizzette's - stagione (my fav of the 3 and a MUST) crudo, margherita were so light and fluffy. The candele was the best pasta - rich, creamy, but just the right size. Quadratti had a beautiful sauce with a nice lemon taste to it to cut the richness. The show-stopper for me was the branzino; AN ABSOLUTE MUST. The way it was grilled/charred gave it a beautiful smoked lemon taste- to die for. Did not expect it to be as amazing as it was. The torta di pistachio e ricotta had a very nice deep pistachio flavour but didn't overpower the rest of the dish. True homage to Italy. The rosé was also a perfect compliment to drink alongside my meal. We were a table of 10 for a birthday party. Big compliments to our waiter Kamden and the rest of the team. He was very patient, knowledgeable, and kind. We ordered more pasta, changed wines, and he was extremely flexible with everything the entire time. Service speed was very reasonable considering we were 10 people. Prices were also good considering the excellent quality of food and ingredients. Ambiance was very warm, great music playlist. Didn't not expect the interior to be so big but loved it. I went to Rezdora last year for my birthday, but honestly, my experience at Massara was slightly better. Won't be surprised and truly hope Massara gets their first Michelin star. The team behind Rezdora and Massara are truly the best in my opinion. Thank you for an amazing birthday dinner for the second year in a row. read more

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Finally dined at Massara on Christmas Eve and everything was incredible. We drank dirty martinis and then tried a number of items. The little gem had a very unique flavor and we LOVED the stagione pizzette (shout out to our server for this solid rec) For pasta we did candele and pasta mista and had to try the frittura della zona which is not to be skipped! Ended dinner with espressos. Food was all incredible and service was top notch. Will definitely return - this spot lives up to the hype and hard to get reservation. read more

A friend and I stopped into Massara after hearing great things. I had recently gone to Rezdora (which was exceptional), so i was very excited to stop by the sister restaurant. We had a reservation, so were seated right away upstairs. We decided to share a few things, so went with the Eggplant, Margherita pizzette, "If Pasta Fredda Was Eaten in Amalfi" and Candele pastas. Everything was good with nice, simple flavors. Portions, however, were extremely small so I recommend ordering a little more food if you're hungry. Ambiance is nice. The upstairs is a little quieter than the bar area downstairs. You're seated close to your neighbors, but we didn't find it to be overly loud or noisy. Service was good too. Our waitress was friendly and gave some recommendations. Overall, Massara was good and a solid option if you're in the area. While i didn't love the food as much as Rezdora, we still had a fun evening and enjoyed the flavors. read more

Overall impressed with this place, didn't realize it was sister restaurants to rezdora. My friend and I shared a bunch of different items, focusing on pasta and skipping the meats, which I think was the right call with only 2 people. The pizza was also delicious, I would definitely suggest getting a couple of those. The fried eggplant side was amazing as well. Would likely return though I'm not sure how gluten free friendly it is and my husband has a gluten allergy. read more

My partner and I went to try Massara and it may be one of our favorite restaurants. We had a 5 pm reservation and upon waiting, a hostess came out To offer us a complimentary glass of lemonchello while we waited. While we appreciated the offer, my partner and I don't drink so we politely declined. Each dish was amazing and packed with flavor. We ordered pizza, 3 pasta dishes and upon finishing or meal, we ordered another pizza. We got the raviolini cheesecakes, lobster pasta squares, candles ragout, sun gold pizza and arugula/prosciutto pizza. Ambiance is amazing. We sat right next to the chef's counter and got to see everything in action. Knocking off a star because our waiter charged us for the couple's next to us alcohol which was $60. When I pointed it out to the waiter he blamed his colleague (which I didn't like), removed it, and apologized. In situations like this at a high end restaurant, it would have been nice for them to comp an appetizer. Still would recommend checking them out but check your receipt for accuracy. read more

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Massara is such a gem! While reservations weren't the easiest to secure, I did sign up for Resy notifications and was able to snag a Saturday lunch spot without much hassle. The greatest thing about this restaurant? The vibes--especially on the second floor. It's so, so pretty up there, creating the perfect atmosphere for a relaxed and enjoyable meal. Every single dish was bursting with flavor. I was pleasantly surprised by how much I loved the baby gem lettuce salad--it was simple but incredibly well-executed. And let's talk about the pasta: absolutely excellent across the board. Each bite felt like a labor of love. That said, the portion sizes are VERY very small. Our group spent about $60 per person (without any drinks), but some of our friends were still hungry afterward and had to head elsewhere for a "second lunch." If you're dining with a group of six or more, you could easily order almost every single dish on the brunch menu without overdoing it. Overall, I'd definitely come back for the vibes and the insanely delicious pasta. Just keep the small portions in mind and plan accordingly! read more

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The pasta here is excellent and the service and ambiance are great too. I really enjoyed the parched a lot more than I thought I would. The veggie sides were quite flavorful too. read more

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Super good! Loved how the courses are planned and honestly a great recommendation if you are looking for some good Italian food. read more

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